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Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Who Has Time to Run??

Try as I might, I am struggling to get 4 days of running in a week. I am quite recovered from MCM and now need to get back in the swing. The good news, is that when I do run, it is going really well!

The biggest strain on my running has been my travel/work schedule. My morning choices are between getting a decent night's sleep and trying to run tired. I have been picking sleep - mostly because there are all kinds of illnesses going around, so I am trying not to compromise the immune system (while taking lots of Airborne and using hand sanitizer).

My Sunday run was in the late afternoon/evening since we were just returning from our camping trip. Once home I suited up for a 10 miler. I left the house around 4:45 pm - and got home well after dark. The run felt really good. My goal was to run close to an 11 min/mile pace. I took 30 sec walking breaks once a mile - and hit my goal pace. The splits:

Total distance and time: 10.13 miles in 1:51:35, an 11:01 min/mile pace!

The run felt really great. I paid a bit later with a sore hamstring and with both heels complaining! (not PF in the right foot!!! One is enough).

Tonight I got out for a 5 miler and I think my Garmin was off a bit. The mile alarm was going off earlier in the run than normal. I ran my normal 5.1 mile route and it registered 5.17.

I completed the 5.1 miles in 51:20, a 10:04 pace. I took a 30 sec walking break halfway through, otherwise I just ran the entire way. It felt great. I focused on relaxing and taking it easy (particularly with the hammy). The Garmin had me running sub-10 min/mile splits for all but one mile.

Still - I need to find a way to get to bed EARLY so I can be rested for those morning runs. This week's challenge: I am attending/working a conference Sat - Thurs. The good news is that I don't have to travel out of town. It is a longer commute than normal for me (45 min vs 15 min) but I will be sleeping in my own bed. Working the conference and getting my day job done in the evening will challenge my running schedule. My running plan for this coming week should not be too strenuous - I have a half marathon to run next Saturday - Dec. 1st - Elijah's birthday and the day that Susan runs the St. Jude's Marathon. We can be running together that day!

You know you are a marathoner when you run a half marathon as a tune up for your full marathon! :-) More on the race later!

I do know how hard it is to fit running in but you sound like you have a strategy there and it should work out. And I would agree with Maddy - most of the time sleep should win out. Tired running is just so awful!

I know exactly what you mean. It takes a lot to be able to get in bed at the proper time to run in the wee hours. For me I often have to sacrifice time with Chasen (who is often out late with school), TV (which I have learned to deal with! no big deal!), doing household chores (so I wake up in the freezing cold to run AND have a messy house sometimes!)

It gets old. My current sentiment is "Come on marathon, get here. I am ready to stop getting up at 5 AM or before!"

Maybe your entire household could shut down sooner (when you're not traveling). Contrary to the other two girls, I often run tired -- or at least I did before I began just going to bed early at all cost.

For what it's worth, I think you are doing an AMAZING job with it all. Your splits are amazing!

Regarding your garmin, I have a Polar footpod. It regularly has me about .o1 to .o2 longer than I really should be. I've been running the track a lot and it has me at a mile about 20 steps BEFORE the mile mark.

Hey, keep your head up. Your running will pick up when your mind and your body are ready. Sounds like you are track already. I wish you well during your half marathon, but more importantly...I wish you well over the Thanksgiving holidays.....family make everything else worth doing.

Certainly your health should take priority over training. And getting extra rest this week before OUC and while the conference is going on could work out really well (as long as you're not going to be on your feet for long periods of time).

Chris, I am so happy with the F.I.R.S.T program Furman Institute of Running & Scientific Training) that calls for 3 days/week running. With the amount of traveling that we put to our schedule, believe me is IDEAL. And it worked!!!!! PROVEN!!!

I hope you do great in your upcoming races.

About Disney in 2009, don't know. MCM sounds really exciting for me, or something closer to home, like Portland or Vancouver/Victoria BC.

My business travels start again on January 07 to DC, and my husband hasn't been transferred, so I will go back to SoCal once a month. Keep me posted if you go to any of these 2 places, ah, and of course to Seattle...

About Me

I'm a 54 year-young woman turned runner over the past 14 years and marathoner over the past 10 years. Married almost 27 years to my best friend, mom to two incredible girls, I juggle a full-time career in engineering, everyday family stuff and running.